1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding sofa bed, and relates specifically to a folding sofa bed which can easily be used as either a sofa or a bed by simply pushing in or pulling out a movable storage container which can also be used for storing objects.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many different forms have been proposed for sofa beds usable as both a sofa and a bed. The functions desired in such sofa beds are that the sofa bed has sufficient surface area when used as a bed, and folds into as small a size as possible to conserve space when not used as a bed, and that the sofa bed is stable when a bed and comfortable to sit on when in sofa form. In order to provide a sofa bed with these functions, a construction wherein the sofa bed is compact as a whole, and where changing between a sofa and a bed is simple and requires little effort is desired.
As an example of such a folding sofa bed, there is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-242973, a folding sofa bed wherein a mat is divided into three parts, with a front end of a center mat and a rear end of a front mat connected so as to freely rotate up and down, a rear end of the center mat and a front end of a rear mat connected by a connecting member which latches at least when substantially at right angles and when horizontal, and a front end of the front mat and a front upper edge of a base connected so as to freely rotate up and down, and wherein legs and casters are provided on the bottom surface of the rear mat.
Although this folding sofa bed becomes a compact sofa because the mat section is divided into three parts, the support of the center mat and the rear mat when used as a bed is at two points, one at each end of the mats, and is thus unstable, and the middle part of each mat tends to sag, making the bed uncomfortable to sleep on. Furthermore, although there is space underneath the rear mat, this space cannot easily be used for storage.
Furthermore, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Sho 57-39809, there is disclosed a sofa bed wherein a mat is divided into three parts, with a front end of a center mat and a rear end of a front mat connected so as to freely rotate up and down, a rear end of the center mat and a front end of a rear mat also connected so as to freely rotate up and down, and with one end of the center mat supported by a support frame of the sofa body, the other end of the center mat supported by a movable support member, a rear end of the center mat and a front end of the rear mat connected by a connecting member which latches at least when substantially at right angles and when horizontal, and a front end of the front mat and a front upper edge of a movable support member connected so as to freely rotate up and down. In addition, casters are provided on the bottom surface of the movable support member, and the movable support member can be stored within the support frame.
Although the folding sofa bed with this construction becomes a compact sofa because the mat section is divided into three parts, there is the disadvantage that support of the center mat when used as a bed is at two points, one at each end of the mat, and is thus unstable, and the middle part of the center mat tends to sag, making the bed uncomfortable to sleep on. Furthermore, when converting between a sofa and a bed, a problem occurs in that the casters do not slide along the floor well, and the conversion operation cannot be performed smoothly.
The present invention aims to solve the above problems, by providing a new construction for a folding sofa bed wherein the sofa is made compact by dividing the mat section into three parts, and when used as a bed, each mat is supported across its entire area and is stable, resulting in a bed that is comfortable to sleep on because instability caused by sagging of the central part of the mat does not occur. Moreover converting between a sofa and a bed is easy, and the sofa bed can be used as a storage container in a user friendly manner.